Front of House

The Methodist Church in Britain; Birtley; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site training

Job summary

Lea Wharf Medical is looking for a friendly Front of House Navigator to join the patient services team. You will be the first point of contact for patients in person and by phone, book and amend appointments, and direct queries to the appropriate clinician or service.

You will not give clinical advice, but support patients with sensitive enquiries and maintain accurate records. Experience in customer service and a calm, confidential approach is essential.

Qualifications

• Calm, compassionate approach to upset or anxious patients.
• Strong attention to detail and accurate record keeping.
• Excellent communication with a welcoming manner.
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection.
• Ability to work effectively within a team.
• Confident communicating in person and by phone.

Responsibilities

• Welcome patients and visitors and manage reception enquiries.
• Answer incoming calls and respond to patient queries.
• Care navigate patients to the right clinician, service or team using agreed pathways.
• Book, amend and cancel appointments in line with practice procedures.
• Handle general enquiries, including prescriptions, test results and administrative requests.
• Record information accurately and maintain patient records on the clinical system.
• Recognise urgent or concerning situations and elevate them appropriately.
• Manage difficult or sensitive conversations calmly and professionally.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow information governance procedures.
• Work with clinical and administrative colleagues on reception and admin tasks to keep the practice running smoothly.
• Give no clinical advice or clinical decisions, and seek support when needs fall outside pathways.
• Complete required training and contribute to the wider practice team.

Skills

Multitasking under pressure

Teamwork

Confidentiality & data protection

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Face-to-face & telephone communication

Tools

SystmOne

Job description

A 12-month fixed-term Front of House post, also called Care Navigator, in the patient services team at Lea Wharf Medical. The work centres on being the first point of contact for patients in person and by phone, booking and changing appointments, and directing them to the right clinician, service or team. The post holder gives no clinical advice, so it suits someone comfortable with sensitive calls who can pass clinical questions to colleagues.

What the job involves

• Welcome patients and visitors and manage reception enquiries
• Answer incoming calls and respond to patient queries
• Care navigate patients to the right clinician, service or team using agreed pathways
• Book, amend and cancel appointments in line with practice procedures
• Handle general enquiries, including prescriptions, test results and administrative requests
• Record information accurately and maintain patient records on the clinical system
• Recognise urgent or concerning situations and elevate them appropriately
• Manage difficult or sensitive conversations calmly and professionally
• Maintain confidentiality and follow information governance procedures
• Work with clinical and administrative colleagues on reception and admin tasks to keep the practice running smoothly
• Give no clinical advice or clinical decisions, and seek support when needs fall outside pathways
• Complete required training and contribute to the wider practice team

Experience

• Remaining calm, professional and compassionate with upset, anxious or challenging patients
• Strong attention to detail and accurate record keeping

Skills & knowledge

• Multitasking and staying calm under pressure
• Working effectively as part of a team
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication with a professional, welcoming manner
• Confident communicating face-to-face and by telephone

Other

• Willingness to undertake all required training and development

Nice to have

• Previous GP practice, NHS or other healthcare experience
• Previous reception, front-of-house, call-handling or customer service experience
• Experience handling high volumes of telephone and face-to-face enquiries
• Experience using SystmOne or another clinical system
• Knowledge of GP appointment systems and patient access routes
• Understanding of NHS confidentiality, GDPR and information governance

What’s offered

• Opportunities to learn, develop skills and gain experience within primary care